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Thursday, August 2, 2007

Country Mouse, City House

Posted
on Thu, Aug 2, 2007 at 4:00 AM

Country Mouse, City HouseLabel: Bedroom ClassicsLength: LPRated: NONEMedia: CDFormat: AlbumWorkNameSort: Country Mouse, City House
After stumbling on his previous album, Subtitulo, this criminally underrated artist is rejuvenated with a much more definitive effort. Further tweaking his '70s singer/songwriter aesthetic, Rouse revisits elements that worked best for him. Gentle country touches like graceful pedal-steel wilts have thankfully been reintroduced. His ongoing worship of lite FM burnishes the vibe-rich record with warm orchestral strokes and intimacy. Most importantly, his superb songwriting's back with numbers like the lovely, drawled lullaby of 'Sweetie,â?� the elegant jaunt of 'Nice to Fit In,â?� and the bouncy sass of 'Hollywood Bass Player,â?� a signature snapshot of his mischievous sense of humor. With consistency not seen since the watershed 1972, Country Mouse repeatedly showcases Rouse's ability to craft instant pop classics. Because of the undisguised softness of his approach, it's easy to shallowly toss him in with the river of thumb-suckers running through the singer/songwriter valley. Truth is, with an unrivaled acuity for pop perfection, he's one of the best songsmiths of his generation.